"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Having said nothing about all this previously, my inclination is to discourage pre-emptive panic among grassroots conservatives. Until we get down to cases — in a clear-cut situation where a Republican primary pits a solid conservative against a Establishment RINO type hand-picked by Karl Rove — there’s no point getting all angry or frightened about it. Look for an opportunity to beat one of Rove’s picks, to teach the Establishment a lesson, but in the meantime, keep your powder dry.

I am unalterably opposed to a bunch of billionaires financing a boss to pick candidates in 50 states. This is the opposite of the Republican tradition of freedom and grassroots small town conservatism…
That is the system of Tammany Hall and the Chicago machine. It should be repugnant to every conservative and every Republican.

He does at least seem able to tell which way the wind is blowing. Rove, not so much.

http://wizbangblog.com/ Adjoran

Excuse me, but didn’t Rove already have a Super-PAC? I have to laugh at his skillful manipulation of all these hopelessly stupid media (and new media) rubes that he can re-brand it and make everyone think it is something brand new – Yes, Folks, it’s Brand New Rovenin® with Xtra Power™, cleans 78% better!.

But that’s right, Rove’s new PAC will have even more money, power, and influence because . . . Rove says so!

Of course, conservatives hate Rove because he “only” gave $42 million to “Tea Party candidates” in the last cycle, about 10% of his total. Not bad, really, considering most went to the national race. So, how much did you give?

You just can’t make this stuff up.

http://wizbangblog.com/ Adjoran

Yeah, Newt prefers a single billionaire to fund him. And for a supposed history professor, he seems strangely ignorant of Republican history. I wonder if he even knows who Jay Gould or Mark Hanna were?

Finrod Felagund

To be fair, Newt now freely admits he was wrong regarding Scozzfava.

http://boogieforward.us/ K-Bob

Newt has answered. He lost. He’s done. Now let him be a decent voice for conservative strategy. Hammer him when he’s wrong, not for showing up and offering advice.

I’ve seen the same thing happen over Herman Cain going to Fox. Supposed right-siders are all angry that Fox is such a RINO organization, that they’d hire Cain.

Yeah, that’s what they are saying.

Cain was not a solid candidate. He was shaky on the stuff a Presidential candidate should not be shaky on, and I don’t just mean that some of his answers were terrible. The fact is, he’s not skilled in changing the subject from an embarrassing “gotcha” question to the message he is selling. And he couldn’t get past the bimbo problem (because of the RNC types and his own refusal to fight back). So he lost. News flash: He isn’t running again, either, just like Newt won’t run again (they are both past it, and we aren’t gonna prop them up like Andropov).

So let these two guys sell conservative solutions. Until they fall off the wagon.

Meanwhile, beat back the Karl Rove wing, and this foolish Libertarian Solution that Beck is pushing (which won’t work unless all the ACTUAL libertarians move to a different party).

We need to get behind the right guy now, and not let the machine shove Rubio down our throats, or any other guy who isn’t talking about Restoration.

Being “Conservative” or “Libertarian” doesn’t mean a damn thing anymore unless Restoration is the top priority.

http://boogieforward.us/ K-Bob

How much did he burn for what results?

That’s right, he burnt it all and got nearly zilch.

You don’t have to make this stuff up.

http://opinion.ak4mc.us/ McGehee

We need to get behind the right guy now

The right guy for what? Inevitableness?

http://opinion.ak4mc.us/ McGehee

WTF does any of that have to do with my comment?

ReaganiteRepublican

Apparently the messenger won’t be winning any popularity contests around here, but what Newt is saying is entirely correct imho, that billionaires funding a power broker like Rove to choose the candidates and attack GOPers running to the right of his picks is no different than Tammany Hall, and should be resisted. Rove is a nightmare, he has little to offer us but damage to the right, and I applaud anybody willing to try and hook him off the stage, sooner the better if you ask me.

http://twitter.com/ajpwriter Andrew Patrick

Disagree. If Rover gets to set up his Super-Pac, it will be too late. He will set himself up as Kingmaker, and we’re going to get stuck with a hundred Romneys. If we want more Tea candidates, we need to free the money up.

Rover’s day is done. The sooner he gets that message, the happier we’ll all be.

This remains true even if it should be Newt Gingrich who says it.

http://alanye.com/ Dai Alanye

Be content that you were noticed, regardless of any logical connection.

http://alanye.com/ Dai Alanye

On the basis of pain in the personal pocket, I gave more than Rove, and didn’t take salary and expenses while doing so. This is how people like Rove make their living–by convincing others to “invest” in what often turn out to be failed causes.

http://alanye.com/ Dai Alanye

At what future date will he admit being wrong about not quitting the nomination race after Florida? Without Newt in the race, Romney doesn’t win it.

You’re presuming that Gingrich voters preferred Santorum to Romney. As much as I loathed Romney (my name for him: the lying suckweasel), I still preferred Romney to Santorum, and so did most of the Gingrich voters I knew.

http://boogieforward.us/ K-Bob

no

http://alanye.com/ Dai Alanye

We’re both presuming, and I further presume that I’m correct. Do you truly think Sarah and Tod would have gone for Romney had Newt pulled out? Naah!

By way of an example regarding presumption, in 1992 the chief engineer of a small company at which I was interviewing predicted Ross Perot would win, because all the customers of the barber shop he patronized–a diverse sampling of humanity, though overwhelmingly male–universally preferred good old Ross.

I scoffed, and was not hired. Should I presume the statement of my political views affected his decision? Not necessarily. Should I presume that Perot’s run led to G H W Bush losing to Clinton? Quite possibly.

Finrod Felagund

Saying that Santorum would have won if Gingrich had dropped out is as silly as saying that Gingrich would have won if Santorum would have dropped out.

Do you really think Sarah Palin would have endorsed Santorum? I seriously doubt that.

http://alanye.com/ Dai Alanye

You should note, FF, that I haven’t actually said the things you assume I’m thinking. But congratulations! That mind-reading course has paid-off.

Yes, it’s my opinion that had Newt pulled out after Looziana, a fading Romney would have succumbed to Santorum, especially if Rick’s wife could have withheld her debating advice prior to the Arizona debate, or if Rick would have had sufficient confidence to continue on the path that was leading him to victory.

Now, would he have defeated Obama? Hard to be sure, but BO Plenty would have had his work cut out for him when facing a feistier opponent.